Lifeguard is the Chicago indie rock trio of Kai Slater (guitar, vocals), Asher Case (bass, baritone guitar, vocals), and Isaac Lowenstein (drums, synth), who’ve been taking part in collectively since highschool. Case – whose father is within the experimental group FACS and in addition performed Disappears and the Ponys – and Loweinstein – brother of Horsegirl’s Penelope Lowenstein – fashioned the band in 2019 whereas serving because the rhythm part for Horsegirl. Slater, who on the time was taking part in in one other native band, Dwaal Troupe, quickly got here on board, and Lifeguard launched their first EP, In Silence, in February 2020. A pair extra releases they usually have been signed to Matador, the established indie label that reissued Crowd Can Discuss together with an unreleased EP, Wearing Trenches, in July 2023. Final month, Lifeguard got here by way of with their debut full-length, Ripped and Torn, and simply kicked off their North American tour in assist of it. Produced by No Age’s Randy Randall, the document is buoyant, destabilizing, and incandescent, splicing collectively bursts of power-pop, dance-punk, dub, and concentrated noise with the playful, natural immediacy of a gaggle continuously tuning into one another as a lot as their influences. Lifeguard’s music could often sound unsettled or claustrophobic, but it surely’s by no means completely, effectively, guarded; as a collective and a part of a broader DIY neighborhood, their aim is to maintain opening it up.
We caught up with Lifeguard’s Asher Case for the newest version of our Artist Highlight collection to speak in regards to the response to Ripped and Torn, their ongoing tour, band dynamics, and extra.
Your five-week US tour kicks off tomorrow in Chicago. Are you extra nervous or excited?
I’m excited due to the bands we’re happening tour with. We’re taking part in with our associates, Parking and Autobahn, and people are bands that I actually like. We did a tour a few years in the past now with Horsegirl, and it was the same factor the place it was simply actually good associates that make touring in a gaggle rather a lot simpler than if it’s simply the three folks in your band.
Is it extra the musical side or the sensible realities of touring that’s stressing you out?
I believe it’s extra the size of it. It’s simply gonna be a variety of time spent away from house. We’ve by no means needed to play that many reveals in a row. When it comes to the musical and efficiency of it each night time, I’m slightly bit nervous, however I’m not feeling tremendous stressed about it. I believe we’re gonna have a variety of methods of switching up how the present goes and making it thrilling each night time, as a result of we’re all fairly susceptible to losing interest simply with taking part in the identical set each night time, or taking part in songs in the identical order, and even simply taking part in the identical songs each night time. I really feel like we’re gonna be actually determining methods to make the set thrilling for ourselves, whether or not that’s taking part in a bunch of covers or taking part in outdated songs or attempting to write down new songs whereas we’re on the street.
Ripped and Torn has been out for a couple of weeks now, and also you’ve had the possibility to to play these songs in Europe. Given that you simply had a really particular strategy to recording it, do you’re feeling prefer it began taking over a brand new life in these current reveals?
Positively. It was attention-grabbing as a result of we made that document over a yr in the past at this level. We recorded it final March, and final summer time once we toured in Europe, we have been taking part in a variety of these songs that ended up being on the document. It was attention-grabbing to see individuals who had seen each of these reveals, the one from final summer time and the one from this summer time, and their response to the songs was utterly completely different. I really feel like since they’ve come out, the songs are coming throughout rather a lot higher. I suppose that could possibly be a factor of, now they’re launched and folks can hearken to them so that they know what they’re listening to once we’re taking part in it reside. But in addition, I believe only for us, we’ve had a yr to actually dial these songs.
One other a part of that document for us is that it’s completely different from how we’ve labored previously as a result of the songs have been not likely labored over earlier than they have been recorded. We tried to have it’s a very instant course of, so we wrote them rapidly altogether on the similar time and recorded them fairly instantly. So all the little tips that you simply be taught from your individual songs as you play them on the street, and as they exist for a number of years at this level now, have all come out within the reside present. They aren’t even within the recordings, however I believe it’s perceptible by folks even when they’re not tuned instantly into the particular components we’re doing. I believe you’ll be able to inform that we’re extra snug with these songs now than we have been final summer time or than we’ve been previously.
I believe you’ve mentioned that the songs on this document have been changing into “much less reside” as you have been making the document, and I used to be curious the way you have been feeling they have been now changing into extra reside.
Positively. We even have all of those results and layered harmonies and electronics that we’re determining methods to do reside too, which provides to that as effectively. It does sound completely different from the document, and the best way you may make a reside room sound just isn’t gonna be so mono in that approach that the document feels, however I like that distinction. When it comes to instrumentation and utilizing the baritone guitar, for example, which is an instrument that we used for the primary time on this document, we’ve been amping it by way of a guitar amp as an alternative of simply by way of the bass amp, so the precise approach the stage feels is altering too.
The document does have this compressed ingredient to it, which extends to the best way you convey collectively completely different types. Do you discover yourselves letting unfastened a few of that condensed power in a reside setting, or do you attempt to maintain it hermetic?
I really feel extra susceptible to let it out once we’re taking part in reside reveals, however I surprisingly don’t assume we’ve been doing that. An enormous a part of our reside present, at the very least previously, has been reside improvising and making noise on stage that’s not precisely deliberate and having it slot in between these songs and contextualize them another way that’s extra, extra noisy or extra filled with abstraction. On the document, we undoubtedly did stifle that. It was going to be one thing that had extra of these interlude components; there’s a track known as ‘Music for 3 Drums’, and it’s spliced collectively from some four-track recordings of Isaac’s drums and a few recordings of guitar suggestions. That’s arduous to do in a reside setting as a result of you’ll be able to’t recreate the constancy, however we’ve been studying methods to play these songs as our devices. In that approach, we’re sticking to the document, at the very least the best way the European tour went. Tomorrow, for example, we’re taking part in our whole document so as in full, and we’ll be doing these songs as they sound precisely on the document. However I believe with 5 weeks of touring, we’ll get much more into the abstraction once more and improvising as a foremost a part of the set.
In the case of messing with the order of the songs, is that one thing that impacts your power or contextualizes the songs in a tangible approach for you?
Positively. We attempt to change up the order each night time; we write a brand new setlist earlier than each present. To keep away from doing the identical factor each night time, and since I believe the sensation can get misplaced for us. However some sounds will occur on a set that’s like, “Oh, this really feels actually good.” It could possibly be a very unusual order that we wouldn’t have considered once we have been sequencing a document, however for this present, it actually labored. After which generally that will get repeated. Normally, we’ll discover a track that is smart to begin after which begin each night time with that track, similar with the ending. However usually, it’s higher for us to at all times be altering it up as a result of it’s attention-grabbing and retains it contemporary.
What’s that ritual like of determining the setlist earlier than a present?
It’s normally fairly rushed. It’s really within the 5 or ten minutes earlier than we go on stage. We’re sitting there, and we’re all very distracted, and it takes a variety of, “Come on, we’ve to write down this or we’re not gonna have a set to play.” We by no means have the setlists from the night time earlier than, so we will’t actually reference it. We simply type of throw out songs, and if folks agree with that, they are saying sure. And in the event that they don’t, they are saying a unique track, and in some way there’s a set that’s made. It may be fairly intense as a result of it’s a very small however nonetheless artistic choice. All people’s all for taking part in the set that they wanna play, and to make compromises with that’s the similar as anything in our band that takes placing out an thought and having the opposite two subjecting it to their suggestions and their criticism.
Typically it’s arduous to recover from your self slightly bit simply since you need your factor to be what occurs, after which folks have completely different opinions, and you need to be okay with that. You continue to have moments of anger with one another or confusion at why somebody would disagree with you, and with a setlist, it might probably appear so middling, but it surely’s simply as vital since you’re so targeted on maintaining the power and ensuring that everyone is invested.
I see the dissonance you whip up on the document, these moments of disruption, like a fireplace breaking out that you simply rapidly include. Are you in any approach visible or conceptual in the case of structuring a document or a present?
The best way that we write our songs and conceptualize our music is that it shouldn’t overstay its welcome by any means. We’re attempting to make the purpose come throughout within the least obtuse approach of doing it. We’re not attempting to linger on lengthy, sluggish, meaningless jams. Each half is meant to really feel prefer it has chunk and a cause to be there. And it’s the identical with these interludes within the center, the place these issues could possibly be clearly rather a lot longer than they’re. I believe it will be simpler to lose the which means of these little items, but it surely’s additionally meant to be such as you’ve taped all your quick punk songs over some bizarre discovered experimental factor. The best way we write these songs just isn’t meant to be stripped down by any means; it’s extra that the precise size of time is supposed to be stripped down, and we’re attempting to pack in as a lot chunk or memorable poppiness or noise or rhythm into quick segments that depart an impression with out being tremendous self-indulgent.
It’s been six years because you first began taking part in with Isaac as a Lifeguard. Do you’re feeling like your dynamic, when it comes to the best way you play or simply talk round music, has type of solidified, or does it change from day after day?
It’s undoubtedly altering. I believe we wish it to alter. In some methods, it’s been similar to once we began. We’re all coming from very completely different musical backgrounds, and I believe the best way that that comes throughout in our music is that we by no means attempt to go for one thing particular. Previously at the very least, it’s not like we’re attempting to give you ideas for our information – we’re into what we’re into, and each time we’re writing, we’re all fairly locked collectively on what we’re listening to and being impressed by. We improvise once we’re taking part in collectively, then we hammer it out into verses and choruses and track buildings. And that has actually not modified in any respect, which I’m grateful for.
However for those who go into writing a track or writing music with none sort of affiliation for it or any sort of course to go in, it’s arduous to really feel near that music, or prefer it’s actually reaching something while you play it reside for folks. And I believe it’s vital to have the ability to really feel like your music is doing one thing for you or doing one thing for the folks round you in an effort to make it possible for it’s participating and efficient and has a goal. I believe when the three of us can get into our zone and simply pump out some fast music that’s not tremendous tremendous outwardly completely different from stuff we’ve made previously, it might probably get type of cyclical, like, “What precisely is the purpose? What precisely are we attempting to do with this?” That’s one thing we’re determining when it comes to persevering with to write down, as a result of we haven’t written a variety of music since this document was recorded.
You all have your individual particular person initiatives too, that are fairly stylistically disparate. I do know Kai’s work has seeped into Lifeguard on songs just like the title observe, however I’m curious, extra broadly, what you’re feeling like these shops serve for you, not simply individually, however collectively. Do they make the Lifeguard factor extra concrete or simpler to zone in on?
It’s undoubtedly simpler for us to give attention to what we really like doing once we’re in our solo initiatives, or what we’re impressed by in additional of an on a regular basis sense. With Lifeguard, we do must put within the work of being collectively and discovering issues that we’re all all for. I believe the solo mission factor is useful as a result of it’s type of an instantaneous gratification, and it may give you this expertise with writing songs or sequencing or placing collectively information with out having to have the stress of impressing the 2 different folks – or not precisely impressing them, however becoming their opinion as effectively. You’ll be able to simply go straight to regardless of the output is gonna be. After which with Lifeguard, it’s extra of a compromise. We’ve got these expertise of writing, or of taking affect, but it surely must be contextualized with two different actual folks. It might’t simply be all in your head. I consider it as one thing that’s actually useful to a band dynamic, particularly one which tries to be fairly even and cut up up pretty, simply because you’ll be able to let off steam together with your curiosity and never have all of the stress be on this collective mission.
What’s your relationship with your individual mission, Laurie Sara-Smith, in the intervening time?
I can convey extra confidence to writing songs usually due to the Laurie stuff. It’s simpler for me to listen to stuff that Kai or Isaac would convey as components of a track somewhat than simply this half that I can then plug my very own factor into. When it comes to conceptualizing issues earlier than you simply begin blindly including music to them, I believe it’s undoubtedly useful. Once I write for Laurie, it’s all fairly improvised and fast, they usually’re not precisely pop songs. They’ve bizarre, sparse vocal components that aren’t tremendous melodic, but it surely’s all instantly from within me. Once I take into consideration my affect for that stuff, I’m not arising with particular references. It’s simply, what do I naturally gravitate in the direction of? What am I capable of simply put out rapidly that makes me be ok with it?
There’s additionally an enormous ingredient of it that’s the reside present, as a result of it’s a guitar and saxophone duo when it’s reside. A number of the time, I’ll go over components with Seamus [Moore], who performs saxophone, and we work out the notes he’s gonna play. However a variety of the time, the songs open up into these longer sections, and we will each simply improvise collectively and pay attention to one another. It’s not very rhythmic, it’s not very melodic, however it’s also very melodic. It revolves round the principle thought of the track, however he’s additionally capable of get fairly percussive and unusual together with his instrument in a approach that I believe works very well with a delayed guitar. That’s a completely completely different kind of course of to something with Lifeguard.
You talked about contextualizing the songs with different folks within the band, and a part of that on Ripped and Torn are the vocal harmonies. What did you take pleasure in about fleshing out that a part of your sound within the studio, and what’s it like embodying it onstage?
After we have been recording it, I don’t assume I used to be almost as developed of a singer as I’m now. It wasn’t tremendous theorized or deliberate out when it comes to what is smart with how vocal harmonies work in intervals – it’s extra so simply what feels good and suits the half. For a track like ‘Underneath Your Attain’, just about the complete vocal half is a concord, the place our voices are distinctly otherwise sounding, otherwise pitched, however they’re nonetheless saying all the identical phrases. That sort of factor, I believe, is actually attention-grabbing particularly in punk music, as a result of a lot of doubling vocals is simply singing the identical factor or having it’s type of atonal. However then you may make these actually delicate adjustments to it the place you might be protecting a constant pitch, however the two voices make it extra of a chord. To me, that actually adjustments how that half sticks in your thoughts, and it makes it extra hooky.
What do you hope you’re taking away from this upcoming tour?
I hope that I can type of get a extra full understanding of what these songs do for folks. I really feel like the very best outcomes of releasing this document for me is simply seeing how folks reply to it. I would like it to make folks dance. I would like it to make folks really feel snug in that area and really feel near us. It’s arduous when there’s greater crowds of older folks which can be much less participating to to to see from the stage and reacting to your music, however then you might have conversations about it, and you’ve got all of this reference to folks that actually makes the music make a variety of sense That is a part of that factor the place you’ll be able to’t actually really feel it being goal till you get out of your self utterly and also you see it from different folks’s views. I simply hope that by the tip of the tour, I can actually see this document as one thing that’s completely different than only a document that we’ve made or a document that’s tremendous inside. I would like to have the ability to disassociate from it, nearly, and to look at what persons are eager about it because it’s occurring. The best way that songs usually really feel to me could be very impenetrable and guarded or clouded and complicated, simply because I’ve labored over them a lot, particularly with Lifeguard. That has an impact that actually strips which means from them. Now that these will likely be far more current in my life once more, I can hopefully have new associations.
This interview has been edited and condensed for readability and size.
Lifeguard’s Ripped and Torn is out now by way of Matador.
